Oabpet sweeper



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` w1 DREW CARPET SWBEPBR. No. 353,294. Patented Nov. so, 1886.

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(Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. J. DREW. CARPET SWBBPER. No. 353,294. Patented Nov. 3011886.

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W. J. DREW.

CARPET SWBBPEB.. No. 353,294. Patented Nov. 30, .1886..

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(Model.) v W. J. DREW.

CARPET SWEEPER.

No. 353,294. Patented Nov. 30, 1886.

IzvezQ/Zoz halter Jrew- UNITED v STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VALTER J. DREW, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE BISSELLCARPET SVVEEPER COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

CARPET-SWEEPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 353,294, dated November30, l 886.

Application tiled December 3D, 1885. Serial No. 187,146.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, W ALTER J. DREW, a citizen of the United States,residing at Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan,have invented new and useful Improvements in Carpet-Sweepers, of whichthe following is a specilication.

This invention has for its object to provide novel spring-rods forsupporting a carpetsweeper casing on the wheels which drive thebrush-shaft in such manner that the sweepercase can'be yieldinglylowered toward the door or surface traversed by pressure on the pushingand pulling handle, and thereby not only cause the drive-wheels to enterthe case, but also press frictionally against 'the brush-shaft with moreor less pressure, according to the force exerted on the casein loweringit toward lthe surface traversed.

The invention also has for its object to provide novel means for dumpingthe two dustpans of a carpet-sweeper, whereby they can be simultaneously or independently dumped without the use of pivoted leverswhich swing in the are of a circ-le, as heretofore.

The invention also has for its object to provide a novel construction ofsweeper-case, whereby the bail carrying the handle will be stopped whenthe handle is perpendicular or in its upright position without thenecessity of using spring-catches for such purpose.

The invention also has for its object to provide a novel construction ofsweeper-case, whereby the drive-wheels can be-located outside the endwalls of the casing, and while practically inclosed as regards theircircumference they are so exposed as to render it convenient to renew orreplace the elastic tires when worn by new ones.

The invention also has for its object to provide novel means whereby thebail pivoted to the end walls of the sweeper-case is prevented fromspreading or moving outwardly at its pivoted ends, thereby preventingthe pivoted ends of the bail from moving out of their seats, which isliable to occur in carpet-sweepers as ordinarily constructed when eXtrapressure is exerted on the handle during the sweeping operation.

These objects I accomplish in the manner and by the means hereinafterdescribed and (Model.)

claimed, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, illustratingmy invention, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of acarpetsweeper constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2, anend elevation showing a portion of one of the end guards or shieldsbroken away; Fig. 3, a transverse sectional view through one end of' thesweeper-case, showing the mechanism for simultaneously andalso-separately dumping the dust-pans; Fig. 4, a detached perspectiveView of one of the pendulous spring-rods by which the sweeper-case isyieldngly supported on the drivewheels. Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig.3, showing a modification of the mechanism for dumping the dust-pans;Fig. 6, a perspective of'one of the pendulous spring-rods having thedrive-wheel journaled directly on a bent end thereof; Fig. 7, atransverse sectional View through one end of the sweeper-case, showinganother modification of the mechanism for dumping the dust-pans, both ofthe latter being in closed position; Fig. 8, a similar View to Fig. 7,showing one of the dust-pans tilted to discharge the sweepings; Fig. 9,a similar View showing the opposite dust-pan tilted to discharge thesweepings; Fig. 10, a detail sectional view taken on the line x x ofFig. 2; Fig. 11, aview similar to Fig. 7, showing another modification;and Fig. 12,a detail longitudinal sectional view on a reduced scale,showing the drive-wheel axle extending from end to end of the case.

In order to enable those skilled in the art to vmake and use myinvention, I will now describe the same in detail, reference being madeto the accompanying drawings, where- The number l indicates thesweeper-case composed of a closed box-like frame having its end walls,2, provided with central vertical slots for receiving the brush-shaft 3,which latter is provided at one end with a friction-pulley, 4, the endsof the brush-shaft being loosely mounted on journals 5, carried byspring-bars 6, in such manner that the brush-shaft can be detached fromthe sweeper-case by simply pulling the spring-bars outwardly to removethe journal from the bearings in said shaft. While this manner ofmounting the brushshaft is very efcient in use, I do not wish to erablylarger than the diameter of the shafts,

in order to permit the sweeper-case to be lowered toward the surfacetraversed independent of any rising or falling movement of thedrive-wheel shafts.

The sweeper-case is supported by the drivewheels through the medium ofpendulous spring-rods 10, located on the outside or on the inside of theend walls of the casing, and having their upper ends bent to fornilateral studs or journals 11, which are inserted into openings in theend walls of the sweeper-case adjacent to the upper edge thereof. Thesependulous spring-rods extend downward and are then bent laterally towardthe brushv shaft, the extremities of such bent portions being formedinto eyes 12, which encircle :and support the drive-wheel shafts, asshown in Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 12; but ifI do not employ continuousdrive-wheel shafts, as above set forth, I construct these pendulousspring-rods as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, by providing the extremities ofthe bent lower portions with journal-arms 13, on which the drive-wheelsare loosely mounted, so as to revolve thereon. In either event, however,it will be obvious that when the drive-wheels are resting upon the iiooror other surface the sweeper-case can be bodily lowered toward suchsurface by pressure exerted through the medium of thepushing-and-pulling handle, thereby causing the drive-wheels to enterinto the case and to press with more or less force on the frictionpulley4 of the brush-shaft, according to the pressure exerted on the case inlowering it toward the surface traversed, thus driving the brush-shaftby frictional contact of the drivewheels with the friction-pulley.

The frictional contact between the pulley and the drive-wheel can beincreased according to the force exerted in lowering the sweepercase.The brush can be lowered by pressure, so that the wheels enter the easeand the brush advances toward the floor. The stu ds or jonrnals at theupper ends of the spring-rods are pivoted in the end walls ofthe sweeperabove and at one side of the centers of the drivewheels, and by sopivoting the supported ends of the pendulous rods the sweeper-case canbe lowered and the drive-wheels not only caused to enter the case, butalso caused to move toward the brush-shaft, the construction providingvery efficient and durable means for operating the brush of thecarpet-sweeper.

rIhe employment of the continuous drivewheel shafts is the mostdesirable construction,

vin that it renders the sweeper more durable and strong.

Various contrivances have heretofore been invented for the purpose ofdischarging the sweepings by dumping the dust-pans; but in all sweepersof which I am aware wherein it is possible to both simultaneously andindependently dump the dust-pans it is necessary to provide leverspivoted between their ends and connected with the dust-pans, so as toswing in the arcs of circles when operated to dump the ans.

p I avoid the employment of swinging levers and the pivots renderednecessary for such levers, and in contradistinction thereto I employ twovertically-sliding push-pins connected with the dust-pans and capable ofsimultane` ous or independent movement, as I will now proceed toexplain, first referring to the construction illustrated in Figs. 1, 2,and 3.

The push pins 14 are constructed with straight vertical upper portionsguided in a right line through the top wall of the casing and havingtheir lower ends'pivoted to the dust-pans 15 at the point 16, betweenthe back surface of the fender 17 of the dust-- pans and their pivotalattachment 18 with the inner side ofthe end wall of the sweeper-case. Tothe inside of the end walls, 2, of the case are fastened, by screws orotherwise, the ends 19 of two bowed springs, 2Q, the other ends, 21,

of said springs being attached to the vertical sliding push-pins in suchmannerthat by pushing one of the push-pins downwardly one of the springsis placed under increased tension and the dust-pan is turned on itspivotal attachment to dump the sweepings, after which, by removing thehand from the push-pin, the spring will by its resiliency elevate suchpushpin, and thereby automatically restore the dustpan to its normalposition.

In Fig. 5 the construction is substantially the same, except that thelower ends of the push-pins are provided with straight vertical portions22, tted to slide within the vertical groove 23, formed in the end wallof the casing, such vertical portions carrying lateral projecting lugs24, which engage inclined slots 25, formed in the ends of the dust-pansbetween the rear sides of their fenders and their pivotal point ofattachment to the end wall of the casing. This construction provides foraccurately guiding the upper and lower extremities of the push-pins intheir vertical movements in a right line.

In Figs. 7, S, and 9 the push-pins 14 are located in vertical grooves inthe end wall of the case, and are provided at their lower ends withlateral projecting lugs 24E, which engage inclined slots 25 in the endsot', the dust-pans, which slots are in this instance located between thefront edge of the dust-pan and the front side of the fender thereof. Theupper end portions of the push-pins are provided Ywith lateral lugs 26to bear upon the free ends of the springs 20, which are fastened at IOStheir opposite vend portions to the sweepercasing. The ends of thepush-pins project upwardly through the top wall of the sweepercasing,and are connected by a rod, 27, pivoted at its ends, respectively, tothe push-pins, so that by pressing on such connecting-bar at or near apoint midway of its length both push-pins will be simultaneouslydepressed,

and by pressing on one or the other ends ofy the connecting-bar thepush-pins can be independently moved downward. This connecting-rod,however, may be dispensed with, in which event the outer projecting endsof the push-pins will be suitably constructed to receive direct pressurefrom the hand of the person using the sweeper.

In Fig. 11 the construction and arrangement of parts are similar tothose in Fig. 7, but the push-pins 14 are provided with curved lowerends, 14, the extremities of which are pivoted to theinsides ofthe pans.The dustpan may be pivoted to the sweeper at points either in front orin rear of their fenders 17, and when the pans are dumped the top edgesof the fenders strike the curved portions 14 of the pushpins, therebystopping the swinging of the pans at the proper position required todump the sweeper. rIhe push-pins, Figs. 1, 2, 3,[and 5, at their upperends are turned at right angles to the body portion, so as to formlateral linger-pieces that come in contact with the top of thesweeper-case or with a guide-plate attached thereto and act as stops toprevent the pans from turning past their centers.

In all the constructions shown, it will be evident that the pivoteddust-pans cannot only be simultaneously tilted or dumped, but they canalso be separately or independently tilted or dumped, which is ol'considerable advantage, and this is accomplished without the necessityof using pivoted swing-levers, as heretofore.

The top wall of the sweeper-case is provided at each end with two longitudinally-p roj ecting front and rear shoulders, 28 and 29, and thebail 30, which carries the handle-3l, is provided at its extremitieswith inwardly-bent journals 32, iitted into correspondiugly-shaped seatsin the end walls, 2, ofthe case, so that the bail can be swung back andforth for the purpose of bringing the handle to an inclined position, aswhen using the carpet-sweeper, or to bring the handle to a perpendicularor npright position, as when the sweeper is not in use. When the handleis brought to the latter position, the arms of the bail rest upon theshoulders 28, to maintain the bail in proper position to hold the handlein its perpendicular or upright position, whereby the handle will notaccidentally strike the walls of a room or articles of furnituretherein.

It frequently occurs in ordinary sweepers that when undue pressure isimparted to the handle during the sweeping operation the longitudinalpart of the bail bends or yields and the pivoted ends of the bail arethereby caused to spread and disconnect themselves from thesweeper-case. In order to obviate this dillculty and to securely confinethe pivoted ends of the bail in their seats in the end walls of thecase, I locate outside the end walls of the case a transverse guard orshield, 33, the inner surface of which lies sufficiently close to theends of the bail to absolutely prevent the pivoted ends of the bail fromspreading outward, no matter what pressure may be exerted on the handle.These guards or shields are secured to the ends of the case, whichproject longitudinally beyond the end walls thereof, and the lower edgesof the shields or guards are provided with concavities 34, shaped tocorrespond to the circular form of the drivewheels and thefriction-wheel on the brushshaft in such manner that the shields orguards practically inclosc the wheels and permit free access to thelatter for the purpose ol removing the rubber tires when worn andreplacing them by new ones. These end shields orguards fill the spacesformed by the extension of the case beyond its end walls, and they arecapable of being detached by removing the screws by which they may beheld in place. The guards or shields also subserve the further. functionof preventing` displacement of the supported ends, and also the body ofthe pendulons springrods, but do not interfere with the movements ofsuch rods which are requisite to permit the sweeper-case to be loweredand the drive-wheels pressed upon the frictionwheel on the brush-shaft,as hereinbefore explained. r1`he socket 35, which receives thepushing-audpulling handle, is formed at an obtuse angle to thelongitudinal part of the bail, so that when the bnl-arm standsverticalthe handle will be inclined, to place it in the required convenientposition for the operator, and when the bail is swung so that it rests.against the shoulders 2S of the sweeper-case the socket will standvertical, thereby holding the handle in aperpendicular position.

In carpet-sweepers having tilting pans I have found it essential thatthe pans should be stiffeued and strengthened to render them durable,and to accomplish this object I construct the pans by turning the metalforming the fender 17 downward and forward, to form the inclined brace36, and solderthe lower edge, 37, of such brace to the bottom wall ofthe pan, whereby the fender comprises two plates of metal standing at anangle to each other, with the upper edge smooth and rounded.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is" y 1. Thecombination, with a carpet-sweeper case, its brush-shaft anddrive-wheels, of the pendulous wheel-supports, each consisting of asingle continuous rod of spring metal bent into angular form, with itsupper supported end attached to the end'wall of the case and ext-endingdownward therefrom and then laterally toward the brushshaft, with itslower extremity supporting the drive-wheel, so that the case can yieldtoward the surface traversed,

and thereby cause the drive-wheels to enter the case and press towardthe brush-shaft, substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination, with a carpet-sweeper case, its brush-shaft anddrive-wheels, of the pendulous wheel-supports, each consisting of asingle continuous rod ot' spring metal having its upper end providedwith a lateral stud pivoted to the end wall of the case and VeX- tendingdownward therefrom and then laterally toward the brush'shaft, saidpendulous wires at their lower ends supporting the drivewheels, so thatpressure on the sweeper-case forces the drive-wheels toward thebrush-shaft, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with a carpetfsweeper case and its brush-shaft, ofdrive-wheel shafts extending continuously through the case and throughopenings in the end walls thereof, which are larger than the diameter ofsaid shafts, drive-wheels mountedon the projecting ends of said shafts,and pendulous spring-rods connected at their lower ends with the shafts,said sweeper-case being capable of yielding downward toward the surfacetraversed to force the wheels into the case and upon the brush-shaft,substantially as described.

4. The combination, with the sweeper-case and its brush-shaft, ot'drive-wheel shafts which extend continuouslyT through the case andthrough openings in the end walls thereof, which are larger than thediameter of the said shafts, drive-wheels mounted on the projecting endsof said shafts, and pendulous springrods pivoted at their supported endsoutside the endwalls of the ease, and connected at their lower ends withthe drive-wheel shafts, said sweeper-case being capable of yieldingdownward toward the surface traversed to force the wheels into the caseand upon the brush-shaft, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with a carpet-sweeper having pivoted dust-pans, oftwo verticallysliding push-pins guided by the sweeper-case and connectedwith the dust-pans, and capable of being simultaneously or independentlymoved to simultaneously or independently tilt the dust-pans,substantially as described.

6. The combination, with a carpet-sweeper having pivoted dust-pans, oftwo push`pins sliding in right lines and connected with the dust-pans,and two independent springs connected with the push-pins for throwingthe push-pins upward after they have been pushed downward to tilt thedust-pans, substantially as described.

7. The combination, with a carpet-sweeper case having its side and topwalls extended longitudinally beyond its end walls, of the shields orguards extending across the width of the case in the spaces formed bythe said extensions of the case and secured at their ends to the sidewalls of the case, said shields being separated from the end walls ofthe case, and having their lower edges provided with concave recesseslocated directly over and conforming to the circular shape of the drive-Wheels, substantially as described.

8. The combination, with the carpet sweeper ease and a handle-carryingbail pivoted to the end walls thereof, of shields or guards secured tothe sweeper-case outside the said end walls of the case, and alsooutside the arms ofthe bail for preventing the pivoted ends ofthe bailfrom spreading outward, substantially as described.

9. The combination, with a carpet-sweeper case having its side and topwalls extended longitudinally beyond its end walls, and the extendedends of the top wall recessed to provide front and rear shoulders, of ahandle-carrying bail pivoted to the end walls of the case, and shieldsor guards fitting the spaces formed by the said extensions of the caseand located outside the said end walls and the pivoted ends of the bailto prevent such pivoted ends from moving outwardly from their seats,substantially as described.

10. The combination, with a sweeper-casing, the brush-shaft, and pivoteddust-pans having suitable fenders, of push-pins having curved lower endspivoted to the dust-pans, against which curved portions of the push-pinsthe fenders strike when the push -pins are depressed, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

` Y lll/'ALTER J. DREW. Witnesses:

C. VHITAKER, WHIT M. GRANT.

